The main aim of the EnviGuard project was to develop a highly specific and precise in situ measurement device for currently hard to measure man-made chemical contaminants and biohazards. This is possible thanks to the development of the “EnviGuard port”, which is able to collect and send the data in real-time for a period of at least one week without maintenance in a marine, offshore surrounding.

EnviGuard is used as an early warning system in aquaculture and for assessing the good environmental status of the sea in compliance with current European policies including the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). DIRECTIVE 2010/75/REU regarding the Prevision and Control of Industrial Emisions and the water Framework Directive whose environmental objectives were not accomplished in 2015.

The biosensors developed in the project went far beyond the current state-of-the art in terms of accuracy, reliability and simplicity in operation by combining innovations in nanotechnology and molecular science leading to the development cutting edge sensor technology putting European research and highly innovative SMEs in the forefront of quickly developing markets.

EnviGuard Port:

The EnviGuard Port module is the interface between the three biosensors modules, supplying the connected sensors with power, preparing the samples, processing the data and transmitting it to the customer. In order to meet the requirements of the individual user/location the EnviGuard Port comes with modular equipment itself. It depends on the needs of the different sensor modules and the findings but this project has forged a regenerative energy supply, an internal climate control or long wave data transmission.

• Algae detection unit for toxic marine microalgae species, mainly dinoflagellates which have the potential to form Harmful Algal Blooms is detected electrochemically on a chip coated with aptamers (sequence of DNA OR RNA) and optical detection unit.
• Chemical detection unit based on a novel concept of biophonic sensing cells which use light to give us information about molecules, cells or tissue. They use resonant nanopillars, blocking the transmission of all ranges of light except one, for example, the transducer which is a key device that can detect, record and transform different physics scales in electrical signs, as well as, monoclonal bodies (Immune system protein created in a lab) as selective bioreceptors to detect toxins and man-made pollutants.
• Pathogen detection unit to detect bacteria and virus particles specifically and quantitatively. It will consist of a chip coated with aptamers and an optical detection unit.